#12 · Genomics

Reference-quality long-read genomes of parasites and a dipluran for comparative analysis

The dominant thread is the generation of long-read, reference-quality genome assemblies intended as bases for comparative analysis. The Haemoproteus majoris (lineage WW2) preprint reports a 145-contig, 23.9 Mb assembly with 5501 protein-coding genes and LTR retrotransposon annotation, and frames it in relation to other Plasmodium species. The Occasjapyx japonicus preprint presents a HiFi assembly of 439.3 Mbp with N50 15.5 Mbp and 19,635 genes, assessed with BUSCO as a reference dataset. The Strongylus vulgaris preprint integrates a 329 Mb PacBio HiFi genome with Iso-Seq and RNA-seq, characterizing stage-specific expression and the secretome of a migratory equine nematode in comparative and evolutionary terms. Relative to single-genome description, what is new is the explicit comparative and evolutionary framing built on these resources. The sources are heterogeneous: the Occasjapyx preprint is a standalone genome resource without parasitic context, so the shared thread is comparative resource generation rather than a uniform biological question.